


Like Clouds on Water

by eccentrick



Series: Tumblr Prompts [6]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Childhood Friends, Gen, Kuro & Lotor brotp 2k18, M/M, Mutual Pining, Pining Kuro, twins Shiro and Kuro
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-26
Updated: 2018-01-26
Packaged: 2019-03-09 14:46:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,249
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13483713
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eccentrick/pseuds/eccentrick
Summary: Takaharu has always felt like he was in his twin brother's shadow, until Lance.





	Like Clouds on Water

**Author's Note:**

> Whoot. Finally got this done. A new LMI should be posted soonish, sorry for the wait y'all!
> 
> The title is from Cave Me In by Gallant, Tablo, and Eric Nam. I love it so much.

Shiro Takashi and Shiro Takaharu are born on a leap year. Well, Takashi is. Takaharu, being the younger of the two, is born minutes after the 28th, which is something he is never allowed to forget. 

Takashi is a great brother, really; he may act as though he's at least three years older than Takaharu, but he's kind and patient to his brother’s many moods and tantrums, even joining in on a few in solidarity.

They grow up close, attached to the hip. As cliche as it sounds, Takashi feels like his second half, that they were broken in half in their mother’s womb. Their mother, Yuuko, says that Takashi was silent until Takaharu was finally born, their screams echoing across the birth ward in ear ringing harmony. 

But, the thing -- the problem that eats away at Takaharu -- is that he is the shadow while his twin is the sun in which he orbits. Takashi isn't blinding, nor hurtful, he’s just warm where Takaharu is cold, understanding when he's ignorant, good as he is bad. They're twins, right?  
So that means one of them has to be the ‘evil’ counterpart, right? 

\-- 

The first time Takaharu gets something that's wholly his is in the first grade, where building and coloring and socializing is priority. His brother has everything down pat, quietly going around and helping others as though he's the teacher. Their mother worries about Takaharu, though, her glances when she asks them about their day not as subtle as she thinks. 

Before Takashi can get to Takaharu, a kid plops down on to the empty seat next to him. Takaharu stares at him, eyes wide, as the other child’s skin is the darkest shade he's ever seen. It looks warm, like he belongs to summer. Takaharu reaches out to touch it, to see if it's as warm as the season, still pudgy fingers brushing the kid’s side. 

The other child giggles, arching away from his fingers. Takaharu pulls back his hand as though he's been burned; he didn't want to hurt the boy. He forgot he's supposed to ask for permission before he touches someone; his dad said so.

Before he can apologize just like his mama taught him, the boy smiles a gap toothed grin, his two front teeth missing. 

“That tickles,” the kid says with a slight lisp. 

“S-sorry,” Takaharu replies with vigor. He can almost feel his brother’s stare; his twin is awesome, but he also thinks himself a police officer or something, reporting back to his parents about everything. 

The boy looks confused. “Why are you sor’y?” 

“I hurt you. . .”

He smiles a black smile, a good amount of his teeth missing. More than Takaharu, whose mouth is filled with wobbly attachments that just won't let go. 

“No you did not,” he says fiercely. “You just found my tickle spot, is all. Don't tell no one!”

A slow, soft tilt of his lips spreads across Takaharu’s face. “I won't.”

“Well, now that is handled. My name’s Lance!”

“I'm Takaharu.”

\--

It doesn't take long for Lance to discover Takaharu has a ‘double’. His twin is ever courteous, keeping a soft distance from Lance, because even by now, the both know who his friend would latch onto. 

His friend. 

He still feels giddy at the word, not that he'd ever admit it. His mother calls him her shy boy, but what holds him back isn't a dislike of meeting people; it's knowing that no matter what, he has a better half that makes him look like the poorly stitched double. Even his parents, filled with love for them both, seems more inclined to speak to Takashi. If they want to know how their day went, they don't turn to him. 

But, like children do, Takaharu forgets he's supposed to be inferior. Around Lance, he feels sure of himself. Lance doesn't seem to mind the long pauses as he searches for the words he needs. Perhaps that is because Lance talks enough for the two of them, mouth going a mile a minute. But maybe Lance wants to hear what he says, instead of just turning to Takashi to finish his thought when the stuttering begins. 

\--  
Lance eventually discovers the wonders of Takashi. They're all in the third grade, which is a very old and very wise grade to be in, if you ask them at the time. Only the fourth graders are older than them within the building. 

It's the first time that any of them see snow; California isn't exactly a hotbed for cold weather (heh). The snow lays in a thin coat of slush on the ground, already turning into the reds and browns of the soil below. But, to wise third graders, it's a very strange phenomenon that needs explored. 

Recess usually consists of Takaharu watching and wincing as Lance runs around the playground, playing on the monkey bars with little concern of the hard ground below, jumping off swings at the highest point. It's all very nerve-wracking. Takaharu wouldn't change it for anything. 

Lance, being impulsive and having no sense of danger, runs to the monkey bars at full speed. His little fingers enclose around the bars, slipping as soon as they get a grip. A look of shock is plastered on Lance’s face as he goes down, right on his arm. 

There's a scream and Takaharu just stares, heart racing. He can't tear his eyes away from the morbid sight. A pronounced spike under Lance’s skin makes his stomach queasy.

Takashi gets there even before the teachers do; he looks slightly sick about them ordeal, but he sucks it up, unlike Takaharu. The nerd knows enough about science, even the physical kind, that he tries to get Lance stop rolling around in the slushy dirt. Whatever he does seems to work, because Lance instead curls up into a fetal position as Takashi holds his arm still to stop the bone from moving.

The look of hero worship, even through the haze of pain tells Takashi all he needs to know.  
He needs to be a better friend.

\--

“What's your name mean?” Lance asks two weeks after the Recess Debacle. His cast is bright blue and bulky. 

“Er, well,” Kuro begins. “Shiro means white. That's our last name. Takashi can mean ‘noble’ and ‘honor’.” 

There's a brief pause as though he's waiting for something. Lance scoots closer to Takaharu on the bus bench. 

“What?” Takaharu finally asks after the quiet drags on for too long. 

“Well, I wanna know what your name means, silly.”

Takaharu fidgets as his mind draws a blank. “I'm not sure.” 

Lance purses his lips, brows drawn close. “Well, if your last name means white, what name means black? Ya know, like yang and ying.” 

“Ying and yang, and that's Chinese,” he corrects. “We call it In and Yo.”

Lance barrels through despite the correction, eyes shining with an idea. “What's the opposite of Shiro?”

“Kuro, which means black.”

Grinning, Lance gives Takaharu his first nickname nickname bestowed from someone other than his family.

“Shiro and Kuro! And you're Kuro.” 

It sticks. 

\--

Somehow, someway, despite hero worshiping Takaharu, Lance doesn't leave Takaharu behind. He shouldn't be surprised, since Lance is nothing if not loyal, but for the first time Kuro feels like he's equal to his perfect twin brother. 

It's a good feeling to have. It doesn't last long.

\--

Kuro has trouble reading; he's behind in his schoolwork, and he doesn't want to ask for help. Takashi gets full marks in everything and he needs to catch up, lest he wants to he known as the dumb twin. 

If he ignores it, it'll get better.

\--

It doesn't. 

For the third time that month, Kuro brings home a paper covered in nasty red marks. He stuffs it under his bed and pretends that his teacher forgot to give it to him. Takashi can see through the lie, but backs up story despite this. 

He really is Kuro’s better half.

\--

Kuro is thirteen when he notices that he isn't like everyone else, in yet another way.  
He has not once had a crush on a girl. 

Takashi gushes about a girl that's a grade above them, who wears a different set of bows everyday. Lance has a new crush every week. 

Kuro can only look at Lance, and he doesn't want to fully realize the implications of this. But, since he over thinks just about everything, he does realizes. Or, more specifically, he thinks of Lance. 

Lance, who grows taller. Lance, whose skin tans an even deeper shade as soon as he steps into the sun. Lance, hair grown out, and how long his fingers are when he brushes his bangs aside. Lance who bunched a boy in the grade above them because the idiot groped a girl. And, Lance, sweaty after a game of basketball in gym class, skin glistening beautifully, even in the harsh lights of the gymnasium.

After the second night in a row of waking up, and having to rush to clean the sheet, Kuro knows he's in trouble.

\--

They're fifteen when the rivalry starts.

“I hate this! I hate this! What is so good about Keith?! The 80s called, and it wants its hair back.”

Kuro sighs as he flips the pages of the magazine in front of him. He can recite the entire spiel backwards, he's heard it so many times. It's just something Lance does; latching onto someone else that reminds him of himself, a part he doesn't like, or of something he wishes he has and cope through that. First, it was Pidge and her general genius, and Lance lack thereof. Lance isn't stupid, but he's not Einstein either. It didn't last long, not before he felt horrible and helped her through the death of her father. 

Now it's Keith. Kuro still hasn't figured out why as of yet. And, to be perfectly honest, he thought that it'd cool down over the summer, but apparently not. Not even Takashi, who has a gift of provoking a profound sense of trust, could get Lance to spill. 

“What's so wrong with him? Seems pretty...chill…?” 

Kuro bites down a smirk when that question riles up a response. “Uh, have you ever actually talked to the guy?!? Keith?! Chill!? Yeah, right, I'm white!!” 

“And you have?” He quips.

Lance bristles, fingers reaching out to play with his braces. Kuro slaps them away with a stern look. Lance sighs and glares at him under his low set eyebrows of maturity. Kuro holds his gaze and raises one brow just to see Lance grit his teeth and huff. 

A smile peeks through moments later at their idiocy, and Lance continues his previous rant about soy milk and Kuro listens to it like his life depends on it. 

\-- 

Kuro figures it out as soon as school begins in the fall. 

He knows what to look for by now. Hurried glances, random bouts of red cheeks that seems unrelated until you take in account that Takashi is in the room every time. Lance begins to avoid Kuro in favor of speaking in hushed whispers to Takashi. 

Lance, who has had male crushes before, likes Takashi.

It's ironic, really, because they look the same. Lance is only one besides their parents that can tell them apart. But, if Kuro had to choose, he'd pick Takashi as well, so he can't dwell on it.  
No, he'll be the best friend Lance could ask for. 

He sets his plan up and starts it the next morning. Lance walks to their house every morning because Takashi is the only one who has his drivers license and Lance hates the bus. So, getting up early, Kuro kisses his mother on the cheek and vaguely mentions a personal project he's working on it since Takashi would shoot down any other excuse as false. 

“You owe me,” Lotor says as soon as Kuro slides into the passenger seat of his rich boy car. Kuro makes sure to keep his shoes away from the leather seats. 

“Yeah, yeah,” Kuro replies, rolling his eyes. Lotor acts like he can barely be bothered when it comes to his friends, but Kuro knows it stems from abandonment issues and not wanting to appear attached. 

Lotor hands him a cigarette, and Kuro rolls his window down to keep the acrid smell away from Lotor’s shiny car interior. Which, is funny, since Lotor is the one that started smoking first.  
They had first interacted when Kuro caught Lotor smoking weed in the school parking lot. Thinking Kuro was his brother, Lotor had threatened him with blackmail until Kuro proved his identity and that he wouldn't snitch. Let's just say that Kuro now knows more about his twin brother’s sexual preferences than he ever wished to. He still doesn't know how Lotor even knew. 

Kuro learned a valuable lesson that day. Don’t mess with Lotor. Stay on his good side and he could be your best friend.

“So, what's your deal? What's got the evil twin all bothered?” 

Kuro stifles a laugh, ignoring the truth behind the words. If it were anyone else saying that, Kuro would actually be hurt, but since it's Lotor, he knows he's not the only one with a skewed sense of self. 

“I'm giving Lance a chance to make a move of Takashi,” Kuro replies, pausing to take a puff of nicotine. “Since, well, we don't want a situation like the Debacle.”

Lotor actually winces, which says a lot about the Debacle. Let's just say, Lance tried to confess to a boy from another school, and the said crush brought along his sister; long story short: she thought he was confessing to her, and Lance was too concerned about others feelings to correct her. A couple weeks later, the boy was dating someone else and Lance had to figure out how to break up with the girl gently, because she was a stalker in the making. 

“At least if history repeats itself, you wouldn't start sending him pictures of you crying once he got the nerves to correct it. Well, I’d hope you weren't that desperate. Otherwise, I'd have to find a new person to remember my lighter.” 

Lotor raises his brow at Kuro’s silence. “Oh,” he says, smirking.

_“Don't.”_

“Oh. You really like him. Pity.”

The rest of the drive is quiet, Lotor not knowing what else to say. Kuro knows, deep down, if Lance somehow mistakenly made it sound like he likes Kuro, Takashi would step out of the way and not believe either of them when it came to making it right. So, Kuro won't risk it. 

(And, despite popular belief, no crying pictures would be sent during the duration of the situation. He’d just like to avoid it.)

\--

He does this for a week. Lotor pretending to be offended is almost the new normal, but he should have really known that Lance wouldn't stand for that.

\--

Lancey:  
Where are u?  
Come oooonnnnnn  
Blacky. Blacky???  
I can't believe u ditched me. again. :( u will be hearing about this Mister  
Shiro doesn't know where u are either. My best friend senses are tingling  
See u at school. That is a threat. 

\--

Kuro ignores the texts as long as he can. But, once he can no longer resist the pull of Lance and reads them, he knows. Lance isn't messing around; he knows Kuro well enough to know he has to make the first step to fixing whatever is broken, because Kuro would ignore it and let it fester. Funny, really, that Lance is the same way, except with Kuro, and he tries not to look into that too deeply. Lance is just a good friend. 

Lancey:  
Meet me in The Pit. 3 pm

Kuro sighs at the dramatics, but makes his way to The Pit anyway. It has a dramatic name, only because it's so unremarkable; all the Pit is, is a worn basketball court that supposedly was used for a fight club in the 80s, which is totally bullshit. It's a perfect, more private place to have a show down or to ask someone out. Kuro hopes this isn't going to be the former.  
Lance is crouched down, picking at the weeds the are growing between the cracks in the concrete. When he hears Kuro’s steps, he stands, his long legs only highlighted by Lance’s short track shorts. 

(Kuro does not gulp at them. Nope. This is a serious situation and he really wants to never be forced to act upon his feelings.)

“What is your problem, dude?” Lance asks immediately, not beating around the bush.

“Uh, well, uh,” he says eloquently. 

“Just, what's your deal? Are you okay? Did Lotor threaten you? Because we can totally not take his girl gang, but we can try if we need to.”

Kuro’s chest tightens. Even after being mostly ignored for the past week, he still is willing to help him with any trouble he might have. Even Lotor, who, admittingly, is scary. 

Kuro is gone for him.

“Nothing like that. Lotor isn't as horrible as people think he is.” 

Lance purses his lips, hands on his hips in full confrontation mode. 

“What is it, Kuro? You can tell me, I swear. I'm your best friend.”

_That's the problem._

He tries again. “Nothing.” 

“Takaharu.” 

Kuro freezes. Not even Shiro, master at control, can look Lance in the eyes when he does this, using their given names in such a demanding, personal way. 

Kuro cracks. No one can blame him.

“I just...figured you'd want time alone with Takashi,” he mumbles. 

“Shiro? Why?” 

“Because you like him!” Kuro says, loudly, voice bordering on a shout. Kuro never shouts, so Lance looks rightfully confused.

Lance huffs. “Well, yeah, he's my friend.”

Facepalming, Kuro clarifies, “No, I mean, _you like_ him. Every time he comes into the room, you blush and look away.”

Lance stutters, mind going too fast for his lips to catch up. Finally, his expression settles into steel, like he's preparing for death, or acute embarrassment. 

_“I like you!_ I thought it was obvious.”

Kuro is staring blankly, trying to compute. He can't. 

Lance elaborates, talking quickly. “Shiro figured it out, that's why I blushed and got flustered every time he was in the same room, because I'm afraid he'd give it away!”

“But he'd never do that,” Kuro replies, heart coming back online, pumping like it was getting ready to jump out of his chest. 

“I know, but I still got embarrassed! I know you like Lotor, so I'm not going to expect you to respond or anything.” 

Lance looks so sad, a well worn look, as he's gotten rejected more times than needed; Kuro could never figure out how no one could see how much of a catch he is, while being secretly relieved that Lance wasn't taken away.

Taking a deep breath, ears ringing in shock. “I like you too.”

Lance’s mouth snaps shut with an audible clack. “What.”  
“I like you too.” 

_“What.”_

“I like you-” 

“Can I kiss you?”

“Of cour-”

The sentence is interrupted, Lance lunging and smashing their lips together. Their teeth clanks together in a way bordering on painful, but Kuro wouldn't care if Lance bit his tongue off at the moment. 

As Lance continues to attack Kuro with his lips, Kuro begins to fear that's what will happen. It'd be a wonderful death.

Kuro pulls back, rearranges Lance, and softly places their lips together. 

They both sigh in unison.

**Author's Note:**

> Not exactly 100% happy with this, but it was getting too long, and I either needed to take the plunge and make it super long or make it short and sweet. I chose short and sweet. 
> 
> Lemme know what y'all think, I live for comments!!
> 
> You can find me on my main Voltron blog: lo-tor; and my Lance positivity blog: lanceforall


End file.
